No News for a News Release? Not so fast…

March 23, 2012

As a PR professional or Press Release writer there will be occasions when you are tasked or have to find a release at short notice when there is no immediately discernable news to offer. You might wrack your brain to think of a new angle or story to pursue and push but it doesn’t have to be that hard.

Compared to April 18, 1930, your company is the opening weekend at Disneyland! On that day, the BBC News announcer said: “Good Evening. Today is Good Friday. There is no news” and then piano music was played until the end of the bulletin and normal programming resumed!

Or April 11, 1954 the official computer ‘most boring day in history’. On that day, a general election was held in Belgium, a Turkish academic was born and a soccer player for the English team Oldham Athletic called Jack Shufflebotham died. Apart from that nothing much happened. If you cannot think of something more worthwhile and riveting happening at your company then it might be time to close the doors and go home!

There might be something new you have to announce. Not just new products or services – have you done any updates or improvements to existing products recently? Have you spruced up or launched a website or social media profile? Has the company or any workers been featured in the media at all? Not only for any work–related accomplishments but anything that might be of interest. Have your staff attended any trade shows or exhibitions? Any photographs to share? No matter what you may have to say, big or small, it doesn’t matter as long as you have something to say.

Another method of finding news is to talk to your co-workers and other staff. What they might not consider news might be the big hook you have been missing. They might know that the CEO spoke at a conference, or one of the marketing team had completed their first marathon. Humanizing the staff at the company is just another benefit, and being able to show them in the best possible light is in your benefit.

If things really are slow in the news shop – why not make your own? Run a social media competition where you can offer competitions for products and services to anybody who likes your Facebook page or Twitter feed. Then issue news about how many people have signed up to follow you that week. Slightly more time-consuming to organize but more news worthy is a charity event to benefit another organization nearby such as a school or charity. As well as raising money, it will raise the company profile for a minimum of expenditure.

Launch a Social Media service or blog and issue a release announcing this! As well as joining the Social Media revolution, you will also attract followers just by announcing that you are on the various networks. Similarly, if you have a blog or interesting post, then draw attention to it.

News is whatever you decide it to be – something happens in your business each and every day so why not repurpose it as company news and tell the world about it?